Liberal/leftist/Democrat behavior is best understood in the context of Dr. Freud’s concepts of ego, superego, and id. A brief refresher, from Simply Psychology:
The Id represents our basic instincts and desires, seeking immediate gratification. The Ego, guided by reality, balances the Id’s impulses with social norms. The Superego is our moral conscience, pushing us to follow ethical standards. Together, they shape our behavior and personality.
Generically, their overt behavior reflects primarily superego and id. They project an aura of compassion, virtuousness, moral superiority, altruism, and social consciousness (superego), but when challenged quickly revert to “fighting back” with petulant profane rhetoric, “peaceful protests”, property destruction, abetting of criminal behavior, and attempted and successful assassinations (id). Their behavior reflects little attempt or indeed ability to attain a productive balance between the two (ego strength).
Their behavior mirrors that of Islamist fundamentalists — follow the teachings of Allah, or we’ll behead you. Their projected aura of virtuousness and social advocacy instills within them a sense of moral superiority and self-righteousness — a pseudo ego/egomania — giving them the self-imposed right to vanquish their political opponents and society’s oppressors, justifying the use of any means possible to that end.
Lacking true ego strength, their relentless quest of personal security in a threatening capitalistic society, attainable only through the seizure of political bureaucratic power and cultural equity, now must confront the existential threat of a MAGA administration. Democrat pundits agitate and fret over the course and popular appeal of the Party, which has three choices: 1) Advance its own substantive agenda, 2) Work with the MAGA Administration, 3) Fight MAGA.
- Addressing the nation’s socioeconomic, physical and mental health issues, and globalization challenges with innovative, constructive policy programs would require a healthy, strong ego structure. The Party instead can only advance an agenda which relies upon manipulation, petulance, indoctrination, divisiveness, and violence to foment chaos in and bring down the existing system which it finds oppressive and threatening.
- Working with MAGA would require a strong ego providing the flexibility to compromise, not an option for a party with a fragile, rigid, and pathological ego structure.
- Fighting MAGA is the default option, and their id is primed and ready.
The ego is the director and driver of human behavior. A healthy ego achieves a proper balance between the id forces and superego strivings. In the absence of a healthy dominant ego, behavior easily reverts to becoming id-driven. Leftists compensate by projecting — to others as well as to themselves — an aura of altruism and social awareness. But at the slightest provocation, the facade collapses and an ugly, vengeful id emerges, and is even celebrated. Go-fund-me for the murderer of the Israeli diplomat couple next?
Image: Free image, Pixabay license.